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Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Al-Ahli)


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That turnover for the goal is always going to happen with the way he plays. He's all about drawing players in as close as possible so when he gets his foot in first he will leave them on their arse in the dust.

 

It's such a fine margin that he's inevitably going to lose out once in a while. It's the sort of thing the rest need to be aware of and ready to cover.

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I don't want us to sell him because, if he can be polished, he could be an incredible asset. But he's unreliable and if the manager chose to sell him and replace him with a more dependable winger/attacker, I'd back the decision 100%. 

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If he played like he has in some of his best games every week he'd be in line for a Ballon d'Or. He's not above criticism at all but the way some of our fans go on about him is mental, they deserve a team of Jack Colbacks. 

 

 

Edited by TheHoob

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14 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

That argument lacks a bit of nuance imo, we should be able to critical of him in a fair way 

 

13 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

He’s playing badly and being fairly criticised, just like he’s rightly praised when he does well. Obviously there are fans on twitter overreacting but that happens with any subject.


I think that’s the problem though. Fans seem to latch onto certain players in a weird obsessions sort of way. It’s always happened, like Ben Arfa, Robert, Perez but now they have a direct line to them. 
 

ASM had been shite in the past couple of games. It’s absolutely fine to say it but people are going on as if he’s holding the team back now when it was only a few weeks ago he dominated that same Everton team. 

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The comparisons to Ben Arfa hate aren't right IMO. ASM doesn't have anywhere close to the decision making Ben Arfa did. Which is ultimately what he needs to work on.

 

Hatem saw the whole game, ASM sees what's infront of him.

 

 

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He’s at Newcastle because he holds onto the ball too much, questionable work rate off the ball but he has immense talent. 
 

It’s in his hands to be the player he could potentially be. But I don’t see it. 
 

Out of all the pre-takeover players. He’s the one with the talent to stay with us to the top.  Does he want it though?

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10 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

He’s at Newcastle because he holds onto the ball too much, questionable work rate off the ball but he has immense talent. 
 

It’s in his hands to be the player he could potentially be. But I don’t see it. 
 

Out of all the pre-takeover players. He’s the one with the talent to stay with us to the top.  Does he want it though?

 

He does hold onto the ball too much, but there is also an issue of other player just kicking the ball in his general direction and standing back expecting him to make something happen. Classic example was Joelinton last night, ASM drew a defender away and passed to him on the edge of the penalty area, he had the opportunity to drive into the box, but he just passed it straight back to ASM who had a man on him wasn't in a position to do anything.

 

 

Edited by Jackie Broon

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51 minutes ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

He does hold onto the ball too much, but there is also an issue of other player just kicking the ball in his general direction and standing back expecting him to make something happen. Classic example was Joelinton last night, ASM drew a defender away and passed to him on the edge of the penalty area, he had the opportunity to drive into the box, but he just passed it straight back to ASM who had a man on him wasn't in a position to do anything.

 

 

 

They probably feel fine giving him the ball in those places because they do the same thing in training and watch him put Hayden and Longstaff on their arses ten times a day.

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Just checking but is it OK to be critical of ASM yet?

 

I think he's a really good player, he just needs to work on certain aspects of his game.

 

It's unfair for someone to label this as "turning on him".

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It's not a fucking Witch Hunt! it's just fair critiism.

From watching Robert and Ginola and HBA I'd say there are similarities, but also huge differences - not that it matters lol

 

It's about a hugely talented, likeable lad who is currently well off the pace and often looks like he is disinterested in any aspect the game that relates to not getting the ball and dribbling towards the goal himself. You rarely see him but in great crosses like Ginola, you rarely see him score consistently like Robert and I'm personally not sure he's as diverse in his ability as HBA although they were all lazy on the backtrack if not non existent.

 

I'm personally fine with Maxi being a luxury and not tracking back as much, but he can atleast work going forward and on the press.

To do neither and just stroll around or lay on the ground complaining, is simply not how modern wide players play at successful teams.

 

We all want him to succeed but it's up to him. But any fan is allowed to express their opinion and frustration with his weakness or lack of effort.

 

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I'm making excuses for Hatem here but he played under fucking Pardew, and we had no game plan ever. If I was a footballing genius and had to listen to 'The King' I'd have my off days too.

 

Howe has the full squad well drilled with a meticulous plan. That's a massive difference.

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He can be criticised. However, he's probably the least of the squad's problems and is getting mass criticism from the NUFC yer das. Same ones there did so to Ginola, Robert, HBA. 

 

He grows into games (only scored 1 first half goal) and probably is not fully up to speed. But imo because he grows into games I'd either start him or not bring him on at all when the games have been as tight as the last 2.

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3 hours ago, ManDoon said:

That argument lacks a bit of nuance imo, we should be able to critical of him in a fair way 

It's a ridiculous argument. I loved Ben Arfa, didn't mean he wasn't infuriating and lazy. 

 

We can demand a player with skill and work ethic. There's a reason Ben Arfa, as truly spellbinding as he is, has six clubs since he left us.

 

If he's genuinely just unfit then I hope he next few weeks are a chance to recharge because honestly it's been hard watching him lately.

 

 

Edited by Thiago

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3 hours ago, St1pe said:

 


 

I don’t think this will ever be a fair comparison, both Robert and Ben Arfa were much better in the final third of the pitch, you would see that they could bring something to the team offensively no matter how we were set up.

 

ASM has not yet demonstrated the same level of adaptability and quality.

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5 hours ago, Wallsendmag said:

He still worries the oppostion. He was occupying 2, and sometimes 3 Everton players when he came on last night. Then of course it's his run and turn of speed that ends up getting their man a red card but we didn't capatalise on it.

 

The one thing with NUFC fans is they'll turn on the flair players very quickly. I've lost count of the amount of times I argued in the stands defending Robert and a large section were always critical of HBA as well. I expect ASM will become the next target.

I was a Robert/Ginola/HBA defender but its only reasonable for fans to wonder if they'd be better off with someone more functional who is better for the team. At the end of the table were at and with the games tight as they are that's more pronounced than at the top where things can be indulged.

Its not a witch-hunt on flair players but what's best for the team.

Robert scored and supplied a ridiculous amount of goals that otherwise wouldn't have come. Really not sure ASM does.

 

Nobody thought this about Peter Beardsley because of his attitude/workrate allied to his flair menat he was never a liability.

 

 

Edited by Wolfcastle

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1 hour ago, STM said:

Just checking but is it OK to be critical of ASM yet?

 

I think he's a really good player, he just needs to work on certain aspects of his game.

 

It's unfair for someone to label this as "turning on him".

Absolutely right. People wanted Robert to work harder because it had to be possible. People want ASM to make the right decisions, play for the team more for the same reasons. Otherwise we just accept one being lazy and the other being stupid and that they'll never improve nor should we look to them to improve.

 

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1 hour ago, Wolfcastle said:

I was a Robert/Ginola/HBA defender but its only reasonable for fans to wonder if they'd be better off with someone more functional who is better for the team. At the end of the table were at and with the games tight as they are that's more pronounced than at the top where things can be indulged.

Its not a witch-hunt on flair players but what's best for the team.

Robert scored and supplied a ridiculous amount of goals that otherwise wouldn't have come. Really not sure ASM does.

 

Nobody thought this about Peter Beardsley because of his attitude/workrate allied to his flair menat he was never a liability.

 

 

 

 

Well he's our 2nd top goalscorer and top of our assists table so he's obviously done something right. The likes of ASM, Robert, Ginola and HBA are mavericks. Ask them to expend extra energy chasing back and tackling and you lose a big part of what they are really good at.

 

Beresford used to give Ginola hell for not helping him out but Keegan would always side with Ginola in that argument.

 

We're as good as safe now anyway and a big reason for that is ASM's goals/assists.

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He's had 2 training sessions in 4 weeks because of injury/illness. Nobody was moaning about him in the period before that where we were winning games and he was a functional part of the team.

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I  think with ASM weve got to remember hes had a free role since hes came here. Hes been free to do whatever he likes within the (very) loose tactical system Bruce had.

 

Now that Howe is here - our tactics are quite rigid with not a lot of room to be creative or expressive. Of course hes gonna struggle. IIRC Howe came out recently and said something along the lines of he set the team up to pick up points, not to set the world alight.

 

Hes also not fit. He'll probably perform in fits and starts for the rest of the season.

 

A full preseason under Howe, better players around him, a less rigid system and I think we'll see a much better team player.

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Guest HTT II

I trust Howe to either try and get the best out of him that suits the team the most or realise it’s not gonna happen and we move on…

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